"FIRST DATE"

"I don't know if it's just because I've been busy, but the days have been passing by so quickly that I barely notice.

"Are you sure, Mama Cecille?" I asked as we were having breakfast in the dining room. I had told her that Marius invited me to go out for the day, and since I expected it to be a long day, I wanted to give her a heads-up in case I ended up coming home late.

"I'll take care of Andrea, Sam," she said, smiling at me. I knew she would. After all, during the long period when my brother wasn't around and Lana and Andrea were left in the care of Marius and Mama Cecille, it was Mama Cecille who took care of them. So, when it comes to taking care of my niece, Andrea, I'm sure she's in good hands.

The truth is, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed in front of Mama Cecille. If only I could control myself, I wouldn't go out with Marius. But I can't deny the truth either—that I always want to be with him.

"Thank you, Mama Cecille," I said.

She just nodded. "Will he pick you up here?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's what he wants. He also wants to see Andrea," I replied truthfully, taking a sip from my glass of water.

"I'm happy for you, my dear. Even though you didn't ask for my opinion, the truth is, I like Marius for you," Mama Cecille said, and my face quickly turned red at her words. But since she didn't say anything more and just kept smiling, she continued with what she wanted to say.

"To be honest, he already told me that he plans to court me," I informed and admitted to Mama Cecille. "And because he's a good person, I don't see any reason not to give him a chance," I added.

I saw Mama Cecille's eyes light up. "You look good together," she said, taking a sip of her coffee.

I felt butterflies in my stomach again. I could already envision myself being happy with Marius. But since we were just at the courtship stage, I reminded myself to keep my thoughts in check and not get too carried away.

A few moments later, I finished my breakfast. It was only seven in the morning, and my niece was still awake and playing. I went to Andrea's room to check on her. She was sleeping peacefully.

I smiled as I gently touched her forehead and planted a soft kiss on her tender cheek. She really looked so much like me, even our eye color matched, crystal blue. Well, the same goes for my sibling, Andrew.

I know Andrea would be delighted if her godfather, Marius, becomes my boyfriend. But because I still need to assess his sincerity towards me, he needs to court me.

I walked out of Andrea's room with caution. I headed to my own room to get ready for Marius's expected arrival. We had planned to attend the morning service. He said he would pick me up around nine in the morning. I didn't know if I was just overly excited because it was our first date with Marius, but I couldn't think of any other reason why I was feeling this way.

"Is it still too early?" I asked while facing my reflection in the mirror inside my bathroom.

In the end, I shrugged my shoulders and proceeded to take a shower. There couldn't be any harm in getting ready early. I would just think of it as going to work.

"Your niece is already awake, Sam," Mama Cecille said as she knocked on my bedroom door. "Wow, you look absolutely beautiful, my dear," she added, expressing admiration that brought a wide smile to my face.

I simply smiled at Mama Cecille's comment. I was facing a large mirror in my room, where I could freely admire my own reflection. I was wearing a simple yellow floral dress, paired with black flat doll shoes.

I chose to let my long, brown hair flow freely down my shoulders. I applied a light layer of makeup as well. "I'll just visit Andrea before I leave," I mentioned to Mama Cecille.

She simply nodded and left me to myself. Before long, I stepped out of my room and was greeted by Manang Sela, our housekeeper. "Ah, Sam, Marius is downstairs. He's waiting for you," she said with a smile.

My heart felt close to Manang Sela, so I didn't hide the excitement I was feeling from her. "Really, Manang? Oh, I'm getting nervous," I confessed, and it was indeed true.

Manang Sela's smile widened. "Go ahead and see him. He's in the living room with your niece," she said, gently shooing me away.

As I descended the stairs, my heart raced with anticipation. Marius was waiting for me. I could feel the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I was about to embark on a special moment, and I couldn't help but wonder where this new chapter would lead us.

*****

In the living room, I found Marius engaged in conversation with my niece, Andrea.

"Aunt Sam!" my niece exclaimed when she saw me coming down the stairs.

At the same moment, I noticed Marius's gaze quickly turning toward me.

"Wow, Aunt Sam, you look so beautiful!" my niece said with excitement as she admired me.

"Thank you, baby," I replied, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Are you going on a date?" Andrea asked, glancing back and forth between Marius and me.

"No."

"Yes."

Our answers came out simultaneously, causing Andrea's eyebrows to furrow in confusion. She looked at us with a puzzled expression on her face. So, I subtly gave Marius a warning look to handle the situation. However, he paid no attention to it and instead responded with a mischievous smile, accompanied by a playful wink.

"It's a friendly date," I replied to Andrea.

Andrea giggled and then hugged me tightly. "Okay."

I didn't prolong the conversation with my niece, so when I saw Mama Cecille approaching, I quickly said my goodbyes and headed out of the house.

"You always do that. Why did you say that to my niece?" I asked as I buckled my seatbelt.

"Sorry, I just thought it wouldn't be right to lie, especially to a child," Marius replied, still wearing his smile.

I didn't comment further on what he said because it was true. I fell silent and decided to focus my attention on the view outside the car window. Unbeknownst to me, Marius tightly held one of my hands.

He took it and held it firmly. I immediately gasped, turning to look at him.

"I just need some inspiration while driving," he said, glancing at me briefly, perhaps sensing my questioning gaze.

"Isn't it a bit unsafe because you only have one hand on the steering wheel?" I asked, my voice trembling, unable to hide my trembling tone. I knew I wouldn't succeed even if I tried to hide it. Besides, I had to admit that I also enjoyed what Marius was doing. Like the first time he held my hand, I liked the warmth of his palm. Even if it made my heart beat faster and filled me with an inexplicable nervousness, it was okay. I was happy, and that's what I considered it worth.